Dispensing carton



Sept. 3, 1963 A. M. scHRoM 3,102,675

` DISPENSING CARTON Filed June 29, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet l l l l l H I'Zf6 ll dim/7;@ W/cfew A. M. SCHROM DISPENSING CARTON Sept. 3, 1963 3Sheets-Sheet 2 yg/9i@ Filed June 29, 1961 Q50 44m :EM/NI J Sept. 3, 1963A. M. scHRoM DISPENSING CARTON Filed June 29, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 5warme/c45 United States Patent O 3,102,675 DISPENSING CARTON Archie M.Schram, 1315 Greenwood Ave., Wilmette, Ill. Filed June 29, 1961, Ser.No. 120,587 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-20) 'I'his invention relates to animproved dispensing carton for the reception of cigarettes, cigars andsimilar articles of an elongated shape, which provides protection ofsuch articles when closed, and which may be readily and surely opened topresent such articles for easy, ready, selection.

v The requirements of a desirable dispensing carton can best beunderstood if related to the specific problems involved in cigarettepackages, although it is understood that the invention is not limitedIto such use.

It is believed that the ideal cigarette container would be one whichwould be operable with a single hand when necessary to expose the entirecontents for rapid and facile yselection from the very first cigaretteuntil the contents are exhausted, which would be sufliciently rigid inconstruction to maintain life and operability throughout the period ofthe use of the contents and offer signicant protection to the contentswhen closed, which would have an opened position Which was self-lockingand which exposed the upper ends of Ithe cigarettes for ease in graspingto facilitate selection, which would include closing means to insurecomplete closing of the container after use, and which would lend itselfto simple and inexpensive manufacture and assembly in extremely largequantities while being intrinsically subject to precise quality control.

Therefore, it is the primary object of this invention to provide adispensing carton which accomplishes all the foregoing requirements whenused for cigarettes or any other similar objects.

f The novel features :of the construction and operation of thisdispensing carton Will be more clearly apparent from the followingdescription, reference being had to the Iaccompanying drawings whichillustrate the preferred form lof the invention, like characterreferences being employed to denote like parts throughout the severaligures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the inside envelope or casing beforeassembly;

FIGURE la is an end elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective View of the outer envelope or casing beforebeing assembled;

FIGURE 2a 4is an end elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the assembled `dispensing carton shownin the opened position;

FIGURE 3a is an end elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the assembled dispensing carton shownin the closed position;

FIGURE 4a is an end elevational view thereof partly broken laway to showthe contents;

FIGURE 5 is the top plan view of the blank utilized to form the innerenvelope or casing;

FIGURE 5a is a fragmentary View in perspective of a portion of one ofthe closure halves; and

j FIGURE 6 is :the top plan view of the blank utilized to form the outerenvelope or casing.

The inner envelope or casing A, shown before assembly in FIG. l, is of asubstantially box-like configuration hav- `ing two opposing side walls10 and 12 joined by end walls 14 and 16, all of which join the bottom18.

The upper end of the inner casing A is formed to pro- Vide twocooperating closure halves and Z2, each of said sides being scored at adistance from the top of the respective sides 'along lines 24 and 24a topermit each of said closure halves to be moved hingedly outwardly intothe position shown in FIG. '1a. It is further to be noted JCC Ithat theupper portion of the inner casing forming the cooperating closure halvescompletely surrounds the enclosed articles to form a completerectangular box-like container when the halves are in closed position,as shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a, to provide protection for the contents.

The inner casing A is slidably received within the outer envelope orcasing B, shown in FIG. 2. Outer casing B is formed with an open bottom,and two opposing side walls 26 and 28 which join the end walls 30 and 32to form a hollow tubular unit.

The upper portions of the opposing side walls 26 and 28 are each cutdownwardly `separating the upper portions from each of the `respectiveend Walls 30 and 32, each of said cuts then turning away from said endWalls and extending toward each other substantially parallel with theupper edge of the respective side walls 26 and 28 to form shoulders 34and 36, as seen in FIG. 4. The respective cuts then slope downwardly`and inwardly, terminating in the scored portions 38 and 39respectively, thus forming opposed webbed portions which are indicatedgenerally at 40 land 41 in FIG. 2 and are free to move hingedlyoutwardly to accommodate the opening of the cooperating closure halveswhen the two cases are assembled.

The upper end of each of the respective webs 40 and 41 terminates in anupper tab 42 and 44 which likewise, because of the scoring 45 and 46,have a hinged relationship with respect to the web.

Also, the opposing sides of the outer casing B are seen to have cutoutportions 47 and 49 adjacent each of the lower edges to permit graspingof the lower portion of the inner casing when the container isassembled.

To assemble the containers, rthe inner casing A is inserted within the`outer casing B and the upper tabs 42 and 44 of outer casing B are gluedor otherwise afxed to the respective upper edges of the respectiveclosure halves 20 and 22. 'Ihe container is then ready for use.

One of the important advantages of this container structure is that itlends itself easily to simple fabrication. The blank from which theinner casing A is formed is shown in FIG. 5 and is seen to be completelysymmetrical, with the opposing sides 10 and 12 being joined on the blankby the intermediary bottom portion 1S. The sides 14 and 16 are formedrespectively by the overlapping of panels 14, 14n and 16, 16a each bentsubstantially at right angles with respect to the side portions 10 and12 along the scoring provided for this purpose. The respective panels14, 14a and 16, 16a are |then glued into position as shown in FIG. l toform the inner casing of the container.

The respective lclosure halves 20 and 22 are each seen to be comprisedof iirst side panels 51 and 51a which are `delineated by score lines 24and 24a to provide a hinged relationship with respect to the upper edgeof the side panels 10 and 12. Each first side panel has icuts at 53, S5and 53er, 55a on opposing sides joined by score lines 57 and 57a toyform symmetrical liiaps Si@ and i61. Second side panels 63 and `63a arehinged by means of scoring to the first side panels, and the scoring 65,65a results in tabs `67 and y67er which enable the second side panels tobe folded around, as shown in FIG. 5a, and secured by glue or othersimilar means with respect to fthe tabs 67 and 67a to form the closurehalf shown in FIG. 5a. When both closure halves are thus completed theyprovide lcooperating closure means which completely surround the goodsto be packed in the closed position, Iwhile permitting opposi-telydirected hinged movement to accomplish opening.

In FIG. 6 is shown the blank from which the outer casing B is formed.Here again, a substantially symmetrical arrangement is shown wherein theopposing side walls 26 and 2S of the outer casing are shown joined 3 bythe end wall' 30 which, because of the score lines 30a and30b, permitsthis blanli t0 be folded around to form a tube, with the overlappingside panels 32 and 32m being glued together or otherwise aixed.

One the unique advantages of this invention is the fact that thecontents such-as cigars, cigarettes, etc. may be inserted Within theinner casing A simultaneously with the formation of the inner casingfrom the blank shown in :l-TIG. 5. As an alternative, after the innercasing A and the outer casing B have been formed and assembled, thecontents can be packaged by merely inserting them into the ycontainerwhen it is in the opened position, as shown in FIG. 3.

Once the container is appropriately iilled and closed to the positionshown in FIG. 4, it is seen that a completely closed container isprovided which offers significant protection to the contents, and,especially when made out of cardboard or other heavy material, preventsthe contents'from being crushed or otherwise mangled while beingcarried.

To expose the contents )for selection and use, the con-v tainer, asshown in FIG. 4, is iirst gripped between the end Walls of the outercasing, the thumb and foreiinger placed upon the lower end of the innercasing B through the cutout portions 47 and 49, and the inner casingmoved upwardly in relation to the outer casting. Due to the constrainingaction of the webs 40 and 41, the upper closure halves 20 and 22 areforced to pivot about the scorelines 24 and 24a and over the shoulders34, 34a and 36, 36a until the lower surface of each of the closurehalves is in a position substantially perpendicular with respect to theside rwalls of the outer casing, as is best seen in FIG. 3a. In thisposition, further upward movement of the inner casing results in no harmbeing done to the closure halves, which are free to pivot to prevent anydamage. Further, the closure halves, in the position shown in FIG. 3a,are in a self-locking position due to the cooperation between theshoulders 34, 34a and 36, 36a and the force exerted on the lower portionof each of the closure halves, tending to keep them in the openedposition.

When it is desired to lclose the container, the thumb and orenger arethen placed over the respective closure halves and they are movedtogether and thrust downwardly, at which time the thumb and forenger canbe removed to grasp the bottom portion of the inner casing B to completethe closing operation. Further, since the shoulders 34, 34a and 36, 36aextend aboveeach of .the lclosure halves in the closed position, thesides of the outer casing respectively act as guides to force theclosure halves into a completely closed position, insuring protection tothe contents.

From the foregoing description and from the drawings, it can vbe seen*that an improved dispensing carton has been provided which may beoperable with a single hand, when necessary, to expose the entirecontents for rapid and facile selection from the very rst cigaretteuntil the contents are exhausted; which is sumciently rigid inconstruction to maintain life, and operable throughout the period of theuse of the contents while offering significant protection to the`contents when closed; which has an open position which is self-lockingand which exposes the upper portions of the contents for ease ingrasping to facilitate selection; which includes closure means to insurecomplete closing of the container after use; and which would lend itselfto simple and inexpensive manufacture and assembly in extremely largequantities while being intrinsically subject to precise quality control.

I Claim:

1. A dispensing carton comprising an inner and outer tubular casing,each casing being generally rectangular in cross-section, said innercasing being slidably received and closely tting within said outercasing and being Iclosed at the bottom end, the upper end of said innercasing being formed with cooperating closure halves, each of said halvesbeing hingedly mounted with respect to an opposing side of said innercasing for movement toward each other into a mating closed position andaway from each other to expose a portion of the contents of thecontainer in the opened position, said outer casing forming a supportingshoulder on opposing sides spaced from the upper end of said casing, andopposing webs each secured respectively for hinged movement at one endto one of said closure halves and-at the other end to one of said sidesof said outer casing below said shoulders, said lwebs pulling saidclosure halves over said shoulders when said inner casing is movedupwardly with respect to said outer casin and the opposing sides of saidouter casing acting to guide said closure halves into a mating closedposition when said inner casing is moved downwardly with respect to saidouter casing.

2. A dispensing carton comprising an inner and outer tubular casing,each casing being generally rectangular in cross-section, said innercasing being slidably received and closely tting with said outer casingand being closed at the bottom end, `the upper end of said inner casingbeing formed with cooperating closure halves, each of said halves beingsecured for hinged movement with respect to an opposing side of saidinner casing for movement toward each other into a mating closedposition and away from each other to expose the upper portion of thecontents in the opened position, said outer casing forming supportingshoulders for supporting each of said closure halves in the openedposition, andopposing webs each secured for hinged movement at one endto one of said closure halves and at the other end Yto one of said sidesof said outer casing beneath said shoulders, said webs pulling saidclosure halves over said shoulders into the opened position when saidinner casing is moved upwardly with respect to said outer casing, andthe Iopposing sides of said outer casing guiding said closure halvesinto a mating closed position when said inner casi-ng is moveddownwardly with respect to said outer casing.

3. A dispensing carton comprising an inner and outer tubular casing,each casing being generally rectangular in cross-section, said innercasing being slidably received and closely fitting within said outercasing and being closed at the bottom end, the upper end of said innercasing being formed with cooperating closure halves, each of said halvesbeing secured for hinged movement with respect to an opposing side ofsaid inner casing for movement toward each other into a mating closedposition and away from each other to expose the upper portion of thecontents in the opened position, each of said opposing sides lof saidouter casing providing spaced supporting shoulders for supporting saidclosure halves in the opened position, and opposing webs each securedfor hinged movement at one end to one of said closure halves .and at theother end to one of said sides of said outer casing beneath saidshoulders, said webs extending between said spaced shoulders in theclosed position and pulling said closure halves over said shoulders intothe opened position when said inner casing is moved upwardly withrespect to said outer casing, and the opposing sides of said outercasing guiding said closure halves into a mating closed position whensaid inner casing is moved downwardly with respect to said outer casing.

`4. A dispensing carton comprising an inner and outer tubular casing,each casing being generally rectangular in cross-section, said innercasing being slidably received and closely iitting within said outercasing land being closed at the bottom end, the upper end of said innercasing being formed with cooperating closure halves, each of said halvesbeing secured for hinged movement with respectrto an opposing side ofsaid inner casing for movement toward each other into a mating closedposition and away from each other to expose -the upper portion of Ythecontents in the opened position, each of said opposing sides of saidouter casing forming spaced aligned supporting shoulders for supportingeach of said closure halves in the opened position, and opposing webseach secured for hinged movement at one end to one of said closurehalves and at the other end to one of said sides of said outer casingbeneath said shoulders, said Webs extending between said spacedshoulders in the closed position and pulling said closure halves oversaid shoulders into a self-locking opened position in which each closurehalf is substantially perpendicular with respect to the plane of theopposing sides ot the outer downwardly with respect .to said outercasing.

References Cited iu the file of this patent UNTED STATES PATENTS TanziAug. 15, 1939 Rudeen Aug. 23, 1960

1. A DISPENSING CARTON COMPRISING AN INNER AND OUTER TUBULAR CASING,EACH CASING BEING GENERALLY RECTANGULAR IN CROSS-SECTION, SAID INNERCASING BEING SLIDABLY RECEIVED AND CLOSELY FITTING WITHIN SAID OUTERCASING AND BEING CLOSED AT THE BOTTOM END, THE UPPER END OF SAID INNERCASING BEING FORMED WITH COOPERATING CLOSURE HALVES, EACH OF SAID HALVESBEING HINGEDLY MOUNTED WITH RESPECT TO AN OPPOSING SIDE OF SAID INNERCASING FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD EACH OTHER INTO A MATING CLOSED POSITION ANDAWAY FROM EACH OTHER TO EXPOSE A PORTION OF THE CONTENTS OF THECONTAINER IN THE OPENED POSITION, SAID OUTER CASING FORMING A SUPPORTINGSHOULDER ON OPPOSING SIDES SPACED FROM THE UPPER END OF SAID CASING, ANDOPPOSING WEBS EACH SECURED RESPECTIVELY FOR HINGED MOVEMENT AT ONE ENDTO ONE OF SAID CLOSURE HALVES AND AT THE OTHER END TO ONE OF SAID SIDESOF SAID OUTER CASING BELOW SAID SHOULDERS, SAID WEBS PULLING SAIDCLOSURE HALVES OVER SAID SHOULDERS WHEN SAID INNER CASING IS MOVEDUPWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID OUTER CASING, AND THE OPPOSING SIDES OFSAID OUTER CASING ACTING TO GUIDE SAID CLOSURE HALVES INTO A MATINGCLOSED POSITION WHEN SAID INNER CASING IS MOVED DOWNWARDLY WITH RESPECTTO SAID OUTER CASING.